Toy wagon



w 9 W. L. HAYHURST 2,481,1114

TOY WAGON Filed Sept. 13, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l k7 27 INVENg Q.

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6, W49. W. HAYHURST TOY WAGON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1946Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED fS TA'TIETS PATENT F SF l-CE 2,481,114

TOY WAGON William L. Hayhurst, Chicago, 111., assignor to wlon'tgomeryWard & 00 Incorporated, Chicage, 1.11.,ascorporation of IllinoisApplicationSepteniber 13, 1946, Serial No. 696,732

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The present invention relates to improvements in the construction or toywagons.

Toy wagons of the general type widely used by children, and often termedexpress wagons, are well known, 'and the present invention relatesparticularly to such improvements thereof as will 1 enable themanufacturer 'to supply the wagon in knocked-down form with a minimumnumber of pieces so that the wagon may be assembled even by a child witha minimum of tools and experience.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a toy wagon inwhich the axles and their supporting bolsters are preassembled at leastin part so that-a quick and easy :assembly of the completed wagon may bereadily accomplished.

-A further object of the present invention relates to a wagon havinga-substantially one piece metal body, the inside of which i-s free fromtherethrough protruding bolts, nuts, or other parts which might tend toinjure-a child riding therein.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wagon ofthe Leo-called express type in which all the parts that support thechassis are secured to the lbody portion in such a manner as not topenetrate the same, as for example by welding.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the furtherdescription herein below when considered inconnection with theconcurrently filedsheets .of drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the completed wagon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the completed wagon;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the completed wagon;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the com-- pleted wagon with one ofthe wheels shown in vertical section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the front axle bolster assembly and thehandle-supporting tongue and side braces;

Fig. 6 isa detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, through theturntable and kingpin of the wagon;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view, shown in exploded form, of thekingpinaniithecastllated nut and cotterpin cooperating therewith;

Fig-8 is a perspective view-of "the means employed for securing thefront axle brace 'to the bottom-of the body portion; and

Fig. 9 is 'a'pers'pective view, shown in exploded form, of the rear axlebolster assembly and the 2 means by which it is secured to the bottom ofthe body portion.

One of the outstanding featuresof the present invention is theprovision, in awa'gonpf the type indicated, of a body portion which doesnothave any bolts, nuts, screws or other fastening means present on theinside of the body, 'so that the latter is free from all obstructionswhich might injure a child or tear its clothing.

The wagon itself consists of a body portion M which may, for example asillustrated, consist of a single metalstamping'or drawing havingan upperperipheral bead H.

The inside of the wagon is completely "free from any protrudingelements. Secured to the bottom of the wagon, 'as =ma'ybest be'seen fromFigs. 2, 3 and 4, are those parts-which serve to support the front andrear axle bolsters. *Thus, for example, there is first made up 'aturntable l2, best seen in Fig.6, consisting of a substantially circularcup having a therefrom *horizontally extending annular flange P3. In thecertter of the turntable there is an opening through which extends thekingpin M the head "T5 of which is rigidly secured, preferably bywelding, to the bottom wall of the turntable l-2. The bottom of theturntable is provided "with a circular bead it which is concentric withthekin'gpin i i. The turntable is secured to the bottom *m of the wagonpreferably by being-either welded, brazed or soldered thereto, so that'there-are no fastening means which pass through the bottom of the wagon.

In order to support the front wheels of the wagon there is provided afront 'btilster assembly broadly designated by the reference numeral [8,as shown in perspective in Fig. 5. This frorit bolster assembly consistsof a 'b'ols'ter having a horizontally extending transverse fia'nged web-'or channel I9 from the ends of which depend 'integral downwardlytapering channelled legs 20 and 2| respectively. The upper portion -'of"the:

transverse web 19 is also provided with -a'c'ircular groove 36 intowhich the bead -16 of the'turntable 12 fits, being in sliding engagementtherewith, thus serving as an accurate guide for the movements of thebolster. The legs 20 and 2! are provided near theirlowerendswithsuitable holes through which extends the front axle $2. Inorder to hold the front axle against longitudinal movement, the same,"after insertion, is provided with small therefrom laterally extendingdetents 23, one of these being'sl'l'own'a t the left of'Fig. 4. They areproduced by upsetting the metal after the bolster [8 has bsen assembledwith the axle. The transverse web l9 of the bolster is provided with acentrally located hole 24 through which extends the aforementionedkingpin 4, the bolster being locked thereto by means of a castellatednut 25 threaded upon the lower end of said kingpin, a washer beinginterposed between the nut and the adjacent side of the bolster. Inorder to lock the nut 25 to the kingpin M, a cotterpin 2'! is employedwhich engages a hole 28 in the kingpin l4 (Figs. 6 and 7) and also anyone of the notches in the castellated nut.

Extending forwardly from the member [9 of the bolster I8 is a centrallypositioned handlesupporting tongue 29 which is secured to the bolsterpreferably by being welded thereto at the points 30 and 3|, said tonguebeing of channel construction and forwardly tapering. Further to insurethe rigidity of the tongue 29, side braces 32 and 33 are provided, thesebeing connected at 34 and 35 to the forward end of the tongue 2e whilethe other ends of the side braces are perforated to permit of receptionof the ends of axle 22. Attached to the forward end of the tongue 29 isa handle-supporting member 37 Which is formed of a suitable stamping andwhich is fastened to the front end of the tongue 29 by means of a bolt38 secured by means of the therewith cooperating nut 39, the boltpassing through the two openings in the handle supporting member 31,through corresponding holes provided in the braces 32 and 33, andthrough holes in the flanged sides of front end of the tongue 29, thusholding all parts in assembled relationship, as can best be seen fromthe bottom view in Fig. 3. On the ends of the front axle 22 there arethe wheels 40 which are preferably provided with solid rubber tires 4|.These wheels have a central sleevebearing 42 which surrounds the ends ofthe axle 22, cotterpins 43 being passed through transverse holes in theends of the axle 22 to hold the wheels in position. The rear ends of theside braces 32 and 33 are interposed between the inside walls of thewheels 49 and the outer sides of the bolster legs 29, as best seen inFig. 4. In order to cover up the means of connection of the wheels withthe axle, suitable circular hub caps or cover plates 44 are provided,being snapped over resilient projections 45 provided on the outer wallof each wheel.

In order further to support the front axle 22 there is provided a frontaxle brace 46 which is secured to said axle by means of a yoke 41 whichis loosely attached thereto by passing the axle through suitable holesin the yoke. The axle brace 46 is pivotally secured to the yoke 41 bymeans of the bolt or rivet 48. The other end of brace 46 is secured to asupporting member 49 which is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 8 andwhich is preferably welded, brazed or soldered to the underside of thebody portion H, as can best be seen in Fig. 3. Permanently secured toand depending from the member 49 is a bolt 59 which passes through asuitable opening in the free end of the brace member 46, being securedthereto by means of the nut with the intervening washer 52 preferably ofthe locking type. The front axle bolster is therefore rotatable bothabout an axis which extends through the kingpin l4 and the pivot 48.

Suitably attached to the handle-supporting member 31 is the handle 53which may if desired be provided with a hand hold 54. Preferably thehandle 53 is welded to the supporting member 31.

The rear axle assembly is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 9. It comprisestwo rear channel shaped bolster brackets 55 and 56 which are preferablywelded, brazed or soldered to the bottom IT. The depending flanges ofsaid brackets are provided with holes 58, 59, 69 and 6|.

The rear axle bolster, broadly designated by the reference numeral 62(Fig. 9), comprises a horizontally extending transverse flanged web orchannel 63 from the ends of which depend integral downwardly taperingchannelled legs 64 and 65 which are provided with suitable openings neartheir ends for the reception of the rear axle 66. After the rear axle 66has been inserted, detents 6'l are formed therein in a manner similar tothat described in connection with front axle 22, in order to hold theaxle against longitudinal movement in the bolster 62. The bolster isalso provided with suitable holes 68, 69, 79 and H which are positionedfor registration with the holes 58, 59, and 6| in the rear bolsterbrackets 55 and 56. When brought into such registration, connectingbolts T2, l3, l4 and 15 are pushed through the registering holes andthen secured by means of suitable nuts 76, Ti, 18 and 79, thuscompleting the assembly of the rear bolster and axle. Wheels 49 are thenattached in exactly the same manner as the forward wheels, therebycompleting the assembly of the wagon.

The wagon is thus furnished to the ultimate purchaser in foursub-assemblies: A-the wagon body; Bthe front axle and bolster assembly,including the front axle braces 46; Cthe rear axle and bolster assembly;Dthe handle and handle support; and the four wheels.

All that it is necessary for the person assembling the wagon to do is topush the kingbolt |4 into relationship with the front bolster assembly88 and to fasten the nut 25 and push the cotterpin 2? through the hole28; to assemble the rear bolster 63 with the supports 55 and 56 and toplace the bolts l2 through 15 and to tighten them up; slip the free endof the brace 46 over the bolt 50, and to secure it by means of the nut5| and the washer 52, and then to attach the four wheels,

put the cotterpins 43 through the ends of the axles and resnap the hubcaps 44, thus completing the assembling of the wagon. The handle 53 isattached by means of the bolt 33 and nut 39. It will be obvious that thecaps 44 can be furnished already in place with instructions for theassembler to remove them for the purpose of attaching the wheels.

The entire wagon is preferably made from steel or iron parts. It isextremely strong and sturdy and is not likely to come apart in use. Thesimplicity of the manner of assembly and the welding of the varioussecuring parts to the body are the outstanding features whichcharacterize the invention, for which the inventor claims:

1. In a toy wagon the improvements which comprise the combination of animperforate body and a chassis comprising a kingbolt-supporting memberWelded to the bottom of said body and a front-axle-supporting bolsterrotatably bolted thereto, rear-axle-bolster supports welded to thebottom of said body and a rear axle bolster bolted thereto, afront-axle-brace-securing member welded to the bottom of said body, afront axle brace bolted to said member, front and rear axles supportedby said bolsters, said axle brace being secured at its lowermost end tothe front axle, wheels rotatably mounted on said axles, handlesecuringmeans attached to said front axle-sup- 5 porting bolster, and a handlesecured to said means.

2. In a readily assembled toy wagon the combination of an imperforatebody, channeled bolster supports welded to the under side thereof forthe reception of a rear-axle bolster, and a onepiece channeled rear-axlebolster bolted through its flange to said supports.

3. In a readily assembled toy wagon the combination of an imperforatebody a cupped kingbolt-supporting member welded to the under sidethereof, and a front-axle-supporting bolster rotatably secured to saidmember, said bolster comprising channeled transverse and dependingportions and a channeled forwardly extending tongue welded to a flangeof said bolster to render the same integral therewith.

WILLIAM L. HAYHURST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNI'IED STATES PATENTS

